On December 19, 2012, the House passed H.R. 6016, the Government Employee Accountability Act, by a vote of 402-2. The bill would allow Federal agencies to use “investigative leave” to discipline career appointees (executives) in the Senior Executive Service (SES). The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

On December 20, 2012, the House passed H.R. 1509, the Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2012, by voice vote. The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Social Security Administration, to implement cost-effective procedures to ensure that Social Security numbers are not displayed, coded or embedded on Medicare cards. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

On October 5, 2012, the President signed S. 300, the Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012, which became P.L. 112-194. The Senate agreed to the House amendment on September 22, 2012 by unanimous consent. The House passed the bill on August 1, 2012. The bill codifies a number of reporting and program integrity policies for government purchase and travel charge card programs.
Previous Action 09/25/12

On September 28 2012, the President signed S. 3245, Reauthorizing Certain Visa Programs, which became P.L. 112-176. The House of Representatives passed the bill without amendment on September 13, 2012 by a vote of 412 to 3. The Senate passed the bill on August 2, 2012. The bill temporarily reauthorizes the E-Verify program along with a number of visa programs for a period of three years, until September 30, 2015.
Previous Actions 09/14/12; 08/02/12

On September 29, 2012, the President signed S. 3625, a bill to amend the Stop Trading On Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012. In general, the law makes December 8, 2012, the date by which certain Executive Branch public financial disclosure forms must be available on the internet. The new law became PL 112-178. The bill passed the House by unanimous consent on September 28, 1012. It had passed the Senate by unanimous consent on September 22, 2012.

On September 11, 2012, the House passed H.R. 538, the Government Customer Service Improvement Act, by voice vote. The bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to develop performance measures and standards to determine whether Federal agencies are providing high-quality customer service and improving service delivery to agency customers.

On August 7, 2012, the President signed H.R. 5872, the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012, which became P.L. 112-155. The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent on July 25, 2012. It had passed the House of Representatives (on a motion to suspend the rules) by a vote of 414-2.

On July 6, 2012, President Obama signed into law H.R. 4348, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act or
MAP-21, which became Public Law 112-141. Although, the Act is primarily known for authorizing funding for the nation’s highways and for extending low interest rates for Federal student loans, it also includes numerous changes related to the governance of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and a package of pension provisions, which were largely included in the bill as revenue raisers. The bill also includes a provision for the phased retirement of Federal employees.

On April 18, 2012, the House Ways and Means Committee approved three legislative proposals that would make changes to subsidized health care and child tax credit programs, and repeal the Social Services Block Grant.

On February 1, 2012, the House passed H.R. 1173, the “Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act of 2012,” by a vote of 267-159. The bill would repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act created under Title VIII of the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” Under the law, benefits paid under the CLASS Act would be excluded from being used to determine eligibility under any Federal, State, or locally funded assistance program. The bill now goes to the Senate for its action.

On February 7, 2012, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1734, the "Civilian Property Realignment Act", by a vote of 259-164. The bill was sent to the Senate where it was received and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

On December 2, 2011, the House passed H.R. 3010, the "Regulatory Accountability Act of 2011", by a vote of 253-167. It is the second of two bills approved by the House in the last week that would revise the Federal rulemaking process.

On December 1, 2011, the House passed H.R. 527, the "Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011", by a vote of 263-159. The bill would amend the process that Federal agencies use to analyze and develop new regulations. It would also require agencies to periodically determine whether existing regulations are necessary.

On August 2, 2011 the President signed S. 365, the "Budget Control Act of 2011" into law shortly after the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 74-26. The House passed the bill on August 1, 2011 by a vote of 269-161.The enacted bill has been designated Public Law 112-25.

July 25, 2012 -- Statement of Carolyn W. Colvin, Deputy Commissioner, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources, on management of the SSI program.

June 27, 2012--Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Astrue, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, on the appeals process.

May 17, 2012—Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Astrue, before the Senate Finance Committee, on SSA’s ability to provide quality service and value to the American public.

May 9, 2012--Statement of Kelly Croft, Deputy Commissioner for Systems and Chief Information Officer, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, concerning Information Technology.

May 8, 2012--Statement of David Black, General Counsel, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittees on Oversight and Social Security, concerning the Death Master File.

July 11, 2011--Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Astrue, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security and the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Courts, Commercial, and Administrative Law, on ALJ performance.

June 23, 2011--Statement of Stephen C. Goss, Chief Actuary, Social Security Administration, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittees on Social Security, on Social Security's Finances.

May 25, 2011 -- Statement of Kelly Croft, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Systems, before the Senate Committee On Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, on SSA’s collection and distribution of death information.

April 14, 2011 -- Statement of Marianna LaCanfora, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, before the Committee On Ways And Means Subcommittee On Social Security, on SSA’s role in verifying employment eligibility.

April 13, 2011 -- Statement of Theresa Gruber, Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Operations, before the Committee On Ways And Means Subcommittee On Social Security, on SSN Protection and ID Theft.

March 17, 2011 -- Statement of Deputy Commissioner Carolyn Colvin, before the House Committee On Appropriations, Subcommittee On Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, on agency initiatives to prevent improper payments.

February 11, 2011 -- Statement of Kelly Croft, Deputy Commissioner for Systems, before the Committee On Ways And Means Subcommittee On Social Security, and the Committee On Transportation And Infrastructure Subcommittee On Economic Development, Public Buildings, And Emergency Management, on SSA’s data center replacement project.

For additional information on legislation, you can use THOMAS, which was developed by the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public. You can access THOMAS at: http://thomas.loc.gov/.

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